A Norwegian report from Mepex Consult estimates that approx. 8,000 tonnes of microplastics in Norway each year. Almost 60 percent of all microplastics come from paint. But there are more environmentally friendly alternatives. For example, linseed oil paint, which almost no one buys. – Let the house breathe When we first paint a house, we want it to last as well and for as long as possible. The condition of several listed buildings in Vestfold and Telemark has been disappointing. A lot of it is due to the wrong paint, says national antiquarian Hanna Geiran. She thinks more people should choose linseed oil paint, which allows the house and the wood to breathe. – You don’t get such a tight membrane that prevents moisture from escaping. Then it also says longer, she points out. Riksantikvar Hanna Geiran wants more people to use linseed oil paint. Photo: Randi Nørstebø / news The National Archives also highlights the environmental perspective. – In addition, you avoid microplastics, and that is extremely important in the green shift. Which paint do you choose? Modern paint Linseed oil is best Don’t paint my home Show result This paint lasted the longest In Larvik there is a light yellow old house. It will soon get a new coat of paint. Homeowner Bjarte Løchen had no doubts about which paint he should choose for his listed home. The house was empty for 15–20 years before he and his family took it over. By then the plastic paint had almost fallen off the walls. – But the linseed oil paint was still on, he says. HAPPY: Bjarte Løchen in front of his home, Solhaug in Larvik. He could not choose the exterior paint himself, but the interior was natural paint. Photo: Randi Nørstebø / news Nevertheless, few people buy linseed oil paint, figures from the Information Office for Color and Interiors show. It accounted for only 4 percent of all outdoor products sold in Norway in 2022, and the figures remain stable. Many may choose to avoid linseed oil paint because it has a long drying time, believes Hennig Prøytz of Malermestrene Juuhl & Bratfoss. Don’t know which one is best Everything must go quickly today, he learns. Linseed oil paint must dry for 2-3 days before the next coat. Master painter Henning Prøytz in Juuhl & Bratfoss believes you can have linseed oil paint for ten years before you have to paint over it. Photo: Randi Nørstebø / news – Plaster, brick, putty and paint must dry quickly. That’s money saved. But not in the long run, he believes. There is no simple answer to which paint is best, says director Kristian Strandli Owren at the Information Office for Color and Interior. He explains that there is something good about all painting technologies. – What they all have in common is that they are the sum of a compromise, in order to achieve the properties that the various paint technologies have, says Owren. Kristian Strandli Owren, CEO, Information Office for Color and Interiors (IFI). Photo: IFI – Not so simple Paint manufacturer Jotun experiences the same. They believe that the calculation for what protects best and what is most environmentally friendly is complicated. – We see that more modern paints have other properties that perhaps consumers demand the most, says Sigurd Nilsen, who is head of the exterior laboratory. TESTING PAINT: Sigurd Nilsen, head of the exterior laboratory at Jotun. They are one of the world’s ten largest paint manufacturers and have their own test laboratories for paint in various climate zones. Photo: Randi Nørstebø / news Nilsen believes that it will take much longer between each time you have to paint with modern paint than with linseed oil paint. Linseed oil requires more preparation, but it protects better against rot and looks nice for longer. But it also has its drawbacks. – It will look weather-worn quite early on. They also see that modern paints are almost at the same level when it comes to good properties, according to Nilsen. And that modern paint is easier for the consumer to handle. How to prepare the house for painting: Wash the house wall thoroughly before painting, use power washing and a cleaning brush for best results. New paint sits better on clean surfaces and has good adhesion. Scrape away loose, flaking paint. Spark holes and cracks, to get a smooth surface. Prime untreated wall or patchy if it has been painted before. Paint the house wall. Have a ladder available, brushes in various sizes – narrow and wide, and a roller for external use. Paint two top coats for optimum durability. Source: Colorful First and foremost, it’s about the intervals between how often you have to paint, he believes. The repainting intervals on linseed oil paint can be between 3 to 5 years, while a modern paint can extend over ten years, he believes. Therefore, linseed oil paint is not necessarily more environmentally friendly, according to Nilsen.
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The National Antiquarian recommends using linseed oil paint on houses – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
